The Cowardly Liberal Talks About Strength
The Republican rout is depressing and demoralizing, setting in rock-hard concrete, as it does, the image of us liberals as big, fat losers. We had such a beautiful message–and we lost. We had such plans for a kinder, more equitable future–and we lost. We’re such nice people–and we lost.
But we will survive and go on. I know that. Our problem is local and, so far, not lethal. In the bigger world outside, unfathomable horrors persist. A barbaric group of subhumans get away with slaughtering some 2000 Nigerians, mainly women, children, and the elderly, for–who knows what? Two lone radical terrorists murder 12 journalists in a Paris cartoon magazine office as retribution for blasphemy. A murder spree in a Paris kosher market is seen as a ghastly punctuation mark.
It’s as if there is an overload switch that goes off whenever I’m at a point where I begin to believe half the world is mad and the other half is pure evil. (There is a tiny percentage who are good but their numbers are so small they barely register. Or so it seems when I’m in this state.) I shut down. I read Dave Barry. I curl up on the couch and watch the Hallmark Channel.
I admit there are times when I am a coward, but sometimes I relish those cowardly moments. I understand now how video snippets of precious kittens could hit the billion watcher mark. It’s R&R, it’s therapy, and, in a world like ours, it’s necessary.
So I was all set to just not think about all this for a while, but then I came upon an article by Edwin Lyngar. The writer, a former right winger now turned liberal, warns us liberals that in order to defeat these people we have to take a page from their playbook and “learn to talk big and fight dirty.”
When I lived conservative values, I attended many events with like-minded people. Conservative movements foster a herd mentality. Even when someone stood up to “lead,” he or she often regurgitated well-accepted talking points while crowds nodded in unison…
A perfect example of thoughtless regurgitation is when callers on talk radio mention “Saul Alinsky Democrats.” Still others like to sling the insult of “Obama’s Chicago political machine,” with no context whatsoever. I’m going to make the obvious point that few if any of these callers have read one word of Alinsky, and fewer still have any direct, pointed or even third-hand knowledge of “Chicago politics.” These goofy phrases have become totems of the insider, and like children, these listeners mindlessly repeat what someone else has said as if they had insight.
Now that I’ve been in the liberal camp for a few years, I’ve noticed the complete opposite with the politically engaged left. They often identify as “contrarian.” They question everything and have a hard time taking a firm stand, even when 70% of the public is with them (on minimum wage, for instance). In an ideological battle, the tendency toward inclusion and reflection can become a handicap. As a side effect of all this soul-searching, the left becomes ineffectual at fighting even the worst excesses on the right. I’m boiling this down to a false dichotomy to illustrate a point. Of course there is every gradation of political belief on the right and left; yet our system itself is incapable of nuance, because only one side has even heard of the word.
It’s true that liberals of all stripes tend to over-think things and strive to a fault to consider what’s best for everybody. We–or at least I–do try to reason with the wingers, and waste a lot of valuable time trying to figure them out. But, as much as I admire most of what Edwin Lyngar had to say, when it comes right down to it, I don’t want to get down and dirty with them.
I want to understand their tactics so I can head ’em off at the pass, but I sure as hell don’t want to emulate them. They’re nasty. They’re hateful. We don’t need a double dose of that.
At the same time, we’re heading into a new and dangerous era, with right wing politics and fundamentalist religion at the forefront, and no cute kitten image is going to obscure what is absolute fact: The Republican takeover will put in place unprecedented barriers to our constitutionally-endowed liberties.
After promising to do it for decades, they will finally be in a position to dismantle any signs of what they tout as liberal Commie secularism. They’re already giving essential, science-based committee chairs to avowed anti-science legislators. They’re doing it as an in-your-face gesture–a joke on us–with no regard to our health or the planet’s future. They’ll work overtime to try and overturn Obamacare and Roe v. Wade. The rich will get richer and the poor, poorer. Our infrastructure will continue to crumble, but not to worry. Public lands will be sold off to private interests and we’ll be the better for it. Pollution will turn out to be good for us.
The chambers in congress now ring with Old Testament bible passages proclaiming the advent of God in his proper place as lawmaker. Dozens of representatives were elected almost exclusively on the strength of their religious views, and they see their elections as a mandate from their Maker.
We’re in for many battles on many fronts, and Edwin Lyngar is right that we need to study our enemy and get strong. I’m pretty sure I can do it without calling anybody a Shithead, as he suggests, but if that’s your thing, I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.
But we’re not them. We’ll never be them.
(Cross-posted at Ramona’s Voices)
Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Ramona Grigg
Ramona Grigg is a freelance columnist and blogger living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.. She owns the liberal-leaning blog, Ramona's Voices, and is a contributor to Liberaland and on the masthead at Dagblog.
42 responses to The Cowardly Liberal Talks About Strength
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OldLefty January 15th, 2015 at 12:44
“Saul Alinsky Democrats.”
_______
That is a huge issue to me, because I have been a fan for a really long time, and nothing illustrates the Right’s willing to 1) Create a fictional character, completely divorced from the real person, 2) Mindless repeat lines about that fictional character without EVER bothering to learn the facts.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 13:11
They think that’s an insult, I guess. It should make us stronger.
OldLefty January 15th, 2015 at 13:52
They think that’s an insult, because they have no idea who he was.
OldLefty January 15th, 2015 at 13:44
“Saul Alinsky Democrats.”
_______
That is a huge issue to me, because I have been a fan for a really long time, and nothing illustrates the Right’s willing to 1) Create a fictional character, completely divorced from the real person, 2) Mindless repeat lines about that fictional character without EVER bothering to learn the facts.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 14:11
They think that’s an insult, I guess. It should make us stronger.
OldLefty January 15th, 2015 at 14:52
They think that’s an insult, because they have no idea who he was.
edmeyer_able January 15th, 2015 at 12:46
Kudos to you Ramona.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 13:10
Thank you.
edmeyer_able January 15th, 2015 at 13:46
Kudos to you Ramona.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 14:10
Thank you.
tiredoftea January 15th, 2015 at 12:58
“I want to understand their tactics so I can head ‘em off at the pass, but I sure as hell don’t want to emulate them. They’re nasty. They’re hateful. We don’t need a double dose of that.” That’s all true! But, we do need to “call the tune” and that’s what lefties don’t do. We are too polite, we are too understanding, we are too willing to let idiots wail about imaginary threats, make anti-science tirades, and drone on about their own personal interpretations of the Constitution.
We have to stop that. And, we can do it without the bitterness or rancor of the right. But, we do need to step up and not let them get away with their nonsense, we need to call them on every factless remark, every misogynistic rant, every xenophobic tirade.
We created the conditions by being open, polite and willing to endure the notion that all ideas should be heard. We can change the conditions by demanding proof, demanding respect, demanding that idiots go back in their closets when stupid spews from their throats.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 13:10
Exactly, tot. We need to work on the press and the politicians and force them to see the advantages of supporting strong liberal val;ues. How many times have we all said, in effect, “no more Mr. Nice Guy”, complete with chest-thumping, but when they stampede all over us, we drop back, give up, and they win.
I haven’t done enough to blast Democrats for their weakness (cowardice?), but that’s going to change. I held off because I didn’t want to pile on during an election year, but just like the President, I’m now free to do my thang.
tiredoftea January 15th, 2015 at 18:26
You go girl! You will have lot’s of support.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 19:04
Thanks, ToT. We can do this!
tiredoftea January 15th, 2015 at 13:58
“I want to understand their tactics so I can head ‘em off at the pass, but I sure as hell don’t want to emulate them. They’re nasty. They’re hateful. We don’t need a double dose of that.” That’s all true! But, we do need to “call the tune” and that’s what lefties don’t do. We are too polite, we are too understanding, we are too willing to let idiots wail about imaginary threats, make anti-science tirades, and drone on about their own personal interpretations of the Constitution.
We have to stop that. And, we can do it without the bitterness or rancor of the right. But, we do need to step up and not let them get away with their nonsense, we need to call them on every factless remark, every misogynistic rant, every xenophobic tirade.
We created the conditions by being open, polite and willing to endure the notion that all ideas should be heard. We can change the conditions by demanding proof, demanding respect, demanding that idiots go back in their closets when stupid spews from their throats.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 14:10
Exactly, tot. We need to work on the press and the politicians and force them to see the advantages of supporting strong liberal val;ues. How many times have we all said, in effect, “no more Mr. Nice Guy”, complete with chest-thumping, but when they stampede all over us, we drop back, give up, and they win.
I haven’t done enough to blast Democrats for their weakness (cowardice?), but that’s going to change. I held off because I didn’t want to pile on during an election year, but just like the President, I’m now free to do my thang.
tiredoftea January 15th, 2015 at 19:26
You go girl! You will have lot’s of support.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 20:04
Thanks, ToT. We can do this!
Suzanne McFly January 15th, 2015 at 16:27
So the left is a population of critical thinkers and the right is a population of blind followers. I really don’t see this as a challenge, I just think more critical thinkers need to get off their asses in November and get to the ballot box.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 16:49
That would help, Suzanne. So would a critical look at gerrymandering and the whole electoral system. But in the meantime, we need to kick some ass.
Suzanne McFly January 15th, 2015 at 17:08
Oooh, don’t get me started Ramona, the gerrymandering has pissed me off to no end. I am pretty sure we can work on that in the next census, but until then, like you said, we just need to kick ass and get the right ones in office.
algionfriddo January 16th, 2015 at 22:53
The next big census election is 2020. It’s a Presidential year. The gerrymandering turn around will not take place until 2022, if it happens at all. This is what happens when Democratic voters stay home. Hope I’m still alive.
Suzanne McFly January 15th, 2015 at 17:27
So the left is a population of critical thinkers and the right is a population of blind followers. I really don’t see this as a challenge, I just think more critical thinkers need to get off their asses in November and get to the ballot box.
Ramona Grigg January 15th, 2015 at 17:49
That would help, Suzanne. So would a critical look at gerrymandering and the whole electoral system. But in the meantime, we need to kick some ass.
Suzanne McFly January 15th, 2015 at 18:08
Oooh, don’t get me started Ramona, the gerrymandering has pissed me off to no end. I am pretty sure we can work on that in the next census, but until then, like you said, we just need to kick ass and get the right ones in office.
algionfriddo January 16th, 2015 at 23:53
The next big census election is 2020. It’s a Presidential year. The gerrymandering turn around will not take place until 2022, if it happens at all. This is what happens when Democratic voters stay home. Hope I’m still alive.
fancypants January 17th, 2015 at 01:59
I have a few things you can throw at the rwnj’s Ramona
Are you ready ?
———————————————————
The 1796 Treaty with Tripoli states that the United States was “not in any sense founded on the Christian religion” This was not an idle statement meant to satisfy muslims– they believed it and meant it. This treaty was written under the presidency of George Washington and signed under the presidency of John Adams.
and
“It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov’t from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others.”
James Madison, “James Madison on Religious Liberty”, edited by Robert S. Alley, ISBN 0-8975-298-X. pp. 237-238
—–> read more here http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html
Ramona Grigg January 17th, 2015 at 09:10
Thanks so much, Fancypants. That link is amazing! I’ve saved it and will use it liberally. ;>)
fancypants January 17th, 2015 at 02:59
I have a few things you can throw at the rwnj’s Ramona
Are you ready ?
———————————————————
The 1796 Treaty with Tripoli states that the United States was “not in any sense founded on the Christian religion” This was not an idle statement meant to satisfy muslims– they believed it and meant it. This treaty was written under the presidency of George Washington and signed under the presidency of John Adams.
and
“It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov’t from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others.”
James Madison, “James Madison on Religious Liberty”, edited by Robert S. Alley, ISBN 0-8975-298-X. pp. 237-238
—–> read more here http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html
Ramona Grigg January 17th, 2015 at 10:10
Thanks so much, Fancypants. That link is amazing! I’ve saved it and will use it liberally. ;>)
burqa January 17th, 2015 at 07:12
Nice points, Ms. Grigg.
I agree with you, we don’t need to be nasty just because they are.
Unfortunately, we seem to have some within our ranks who think so. They’re not only nasty, but seem to also think that if the Right is going to be bigoted and hate, then dadgummit, these Lefties are going to find a group to hate and be bigoted toward. Just as the Right lets the haters among them slide, so does much of the Left.
One place we screwed up was in state elections before the census, which the GOP had enough success to be able to redistrict in an advantageous (for them) way.
The Democrats have done a rotten job of telling the people what they’ve done for them. With so many people on assistance, the South should be fertile hunting grounds for the Left, but we have a few stinkers in our ranks who tend to turn these people off.
Some within our ranks don’t seem to realize that we should be welcoming people in rather than trying to run people off.
There are millions of voters in rural America and others who live in small towns whom we should be able to get to our side by telling them what we’ve done for them and how the GOP has screwed them.
Ramona Grigg January 17th, 2015 at 08:52
I agree, Burqa. I think the poor in the south have been brainwashed to believe that big government hurts them and the Democrats are pushers of big government. They must hear all the time the old myths about how wrong it is to expect anything from big government. They live in communities that work to keep them down and they don’t see big government as anything but more of the same, only on a larger scale.
They’re afraid of bureaucracies, and sometimes for good reason, but the brilliance of the Republicans in using fear to win can’t be overlooked. We don’t do that, and we don’t want to, but we have never been able to figure out how to get around that.
burqa January 17th, 2015 at 15:26
Yes ma’am. I’m from the Deep South and am old enough to have known many people who went through the Great Depression. It was a bit odd, thinking back, to have seen a portrait on the wall of Robert E. Lee next to one of a rich New Yorker – FDR.
But the New Deal saved us, as they said. My grandfather used to say any Southern landholder who voted Republican should have their head examined.
The Democrats should be out there hammering home the history of the New Deal and the Great Society, that did so much to make the resurgent industry in my beloved Dixie possible.
The GOP has been outfoxing us with wedge issues that serve as a smokescreen for the cuts they have made that hurt huge numbers of rural poor and lower middle class.
Democrats don’t get the message out, they get outflanked with wedge issues and they don’t vote. Shoot, I think I read somewhere about 4 years ago that there are more African Americans elligible to vote in Mississippi than whites, but they don’t show up to vote!
Fortunately the gay wedge issue will be fading, and we need to get a handle on all this gun talk because it’s not helping us, it’s hurting us and shoot [sorry] it seems just about all the mishandling of firearms seems to be taking place in urban or suburban areas.
I don’t hear Democrats in Dixie on the offensive pointing out the hurt the GOP is causing, even though the victims are everywhere.
Ramona Grigg January 17th, 2015 at 20:58
I agree wholeheartedly about the wedge issues. They’ve kept us from talking about the economy, which should be our main concern. Jobs, equitable pay, abuse-proof retirements, universal health care, real solutions to poverty. . .all of those are issues that affect peoples’ lives and they’re issues the right government can resolve.
But people are willing to vote against their best interests if the wedge issues seem important enough. Nothing is more important than a strong economy where people can make a living, and can be healthy and safe.
burqa January 18th, 2015 at 16:28
I agree. I’m getting to liking you more and more, Ms. Grigg!
You make many good points, as usual. I think the Democrats need to tailor their message better.
In my neck of the woods, they need to point out that major reasons we have the industry that we do are large-scale government spending on power plants, sanitation systems and transportation systems.
Patriotism is big, and the Democrats need to be pointing out over and over that they were the ones who passed the first GI Bill and pushed to get the new GI Bill (thank you, Jim Webb!). How many people know that President Obama has made hiring of veterans more easy in the federal government?
We need to be pointing out to rural voters that the Republicans have been cheating them and will continue to do so because they see so many programs the Democrats have passed that help people. They want power and these successes are in the way so they use the “smaller government” argument as a smokescreen to disguise their true motives.
“We’ve made things better and the Republicans are jealous!”
These things and so many more need to be hammered home over and over. This is something the Republicans are really good at. Their base has heard it so many times they can recite the things the GOP is for in their sleep, and so can independents, whom we need to persuade to vote Democratic.
burqa January 17th, 2015 at 15:54
Ms. Grigg, to add to my comments below.
I’m with you 100% on the ugliness. To me it’s like cheating or fraud of a sort and I don’t want to win that way and know we don’t need to.
We need to be Hubert Humphrey-Bill Clinton cheerful and hopeful. We need to be Moynihan tough and always passionate.
But I was taught getting ugly means you’re automatically losing ground. When the other side gets ugly, that’s the time to pour on the charm and sharpen the contrast so the other candidates just look unpalatable.
I was taught when you have the facts on your side, that’s the time to be extra polite.
We have the best economic growth numbers in all the major categories and can lay claim to the policies that have directly benefitted so many people.
We should be out registering every new person on Obamacare to vote.
We should introduce people to their government. I live in an area thick with government workers and overall they’re good people.
And Ms. Grigg, you’re onto something when you describe the deeper concerns we have. Ma’am, I keep telling people you’ll see what you look at and you’ll find what you seek. All around us, every day are thousands of people quietly serving up food in soup kitchens, helping the homeless, dealing out food in food pantries, handing out clothes, shoes, blankets, and all kinds of other needed things to the needy.
Being around them confirms there is great beauty all around us in this world. Beautiful people are doing beautiful things, quietly, just below the surface but they are not hard to find.
When it gets you down, get around these people and your faith in humanity will be re-energized.
burqa January 17th, 2015 at 08:12
Nice points, Ms. Grigg.
I agree with you, we don’t need to be nasty just because they are.
Unfortunately, we seem to have some within our ranks who think so. They’re not only nasty, but seem to also think that if the Right is going to be bigoted and hate, then dadgummit, these Lefties are going to find a group to hate and be bigoted toward. Just as the Right lets the haters among them slide, so does much of the Left.
One place we screwed up was in state elections before the census, which the GOP had enough success to be able to redistrict in an advantageous (for them) way.
The Democrats have done a rotten job of telling the people what they’ve done for them. With so many people on assistance, the South should be fertile hunting grounds for the Left, but we have a few stinkers in our ranks who tend to turn these people off.
Some within our ranks don’t seem to realize that we should be welcoming people in rather than trying to run people off.
There are millions of voters in rural America and others who live in small towns whom we should be able to get to our side by telling them what we’ve done for them and how the GOP has screwed them.
Ramona Grigg January 17th, 2015 at 09:52
I agree, Burqa. I think the poor in the south have been brainwashed to believe that big government hurts them and the Democrats are pushers of big government. They must hear all the time the old myths about how wrong it is to expect anything from big government. They live in communities that work to keep them down and they don’t see big government as anything but more of the same, only on a larger scale.
They’re afraid of bureaucracies, and sometimes for good reason, but the brilliance of the Republicans in using fear to win can’t be overlooked. We don’t do that, and we don’t want to, but we have never been able to figure out how to get around that.
burqa January 17th, 2015 at 16:26
Yes ma’am. I’m from the Deep South and am old enough to have known many people who went through the Great Depression. It was a bit odd, thinking back, to have seen a portrait on the wall of Robert E. Lee next to one of a rich New Yorker – FDR.
But the New Deal saved us, as they said. My grandfather used to say any Southern landholder who voted Republican should have their head examined.
The Democrats should be out there hammering home the history of the New Deal and the Great Society, that did so much to make the resurgent industry in my beloved Dixie possible.
The GOP has been outfoxing us with wedge issues that serve as a smokescreen for the cuts they have made that hurt huge numbers of rural poor and lower middle class.
Democrats don’t get the message out, they get outflanked with wedge issues and they don’t vote. Shoot, I think I read somewhere about 4 years ago that there are more African Americans elligible to vote in Mississippi than whites, but they don’t show up to vote!
Fortunately the gay wedge issue will be fading, and we need to get a handle on all this gun talk because it’s not helping us, it’s hurting us and shoot [sorry] it seems just about all the mishandling of firearms seems to be taking place in urban or suburban areas.
I don’t hear Democrats in Dixie on the offensive pointing out the hurt the GOP is causing, even though the victims are everywhere.
Ramona Grigg January 17th, 2015 at 21:58
I agree wholeheartedly about the wedge issues. They’ve kept us from talking about the economy, which should be our main concern. Jobs, equitable pay, abuse-proof retirements, universal health care, real solutions to poverty. . .all of those are issues that affect peoples’ lives and they’re issues the right government can resolve.
But people are willing to vote against their best interests if the wedge issues seem important enough. Nothing is more important than a strong economy where people can make a living, and can be healthy and safe.
burqa January 18th, 2015 at 17:28
I agree. I’m getting to liking you more and more, Ms. Grigg!
You make many good points, as usual. I think the Democrats need to tailor their message better.
In my neck of the woods, they need to point out that major reasons we have the industry that we do are large-scale government spending on power plants, sanitation systems and transportation systems.
Patriotism is big, and the Democrats need to be pointing out over and over that they were the ones who passed the first GI Bill and pushed to get the new GI Bill (thank you, Jim Webb!). How many people know that President Obama has made hiring of veterans more easy in the federal government?
We need to be pointing out to rural voters that the Republicans have been cheating them and will continue to do so because they see so many programs the Democrats have passed that help people. They want power and these successes are in the way so they use the “smaller government” argument as a smokescreen to disguise their true motives.
“We’ve made things better and the Republicans are jealous!”
These things and so many more need to be hammered home over and over. This is something the Republicans are really good at. Their base has heard it so many times they can recite the things the GOP is for in their sleep, and so can independents, whom we need to persuade to vote Democratic.
burqa January 17th, 2015 at 16:54
Ms. Grigg, to add to my comments below.
I’m with you 100% on the ugliness. To me it’s like cheating or fraud of a sort and I don’t want to win that way and know we don’t need to.
We need to be Hubert Humphrey-Bill Clinton cheerful and hopeful. We need to be Moynihan tough and always passionate.
But I was taught getting ugly means you’re automatically losing ground. When the other side gets ugly, that’s the time to pour on the charm and sharpen the contrast so the other candidates just look unpalatable.
I was taught when you have the facts on your side, that’s the time to be extra polite.
We have the best economic growth numbers in all the major categories and can lay claim to the policies that have directly benefitted so many people.
We should be out registering every new person on Obamacare to vote.
We should introduce people to their government. I live in an area thick with government workers and overall they’re good people.
And Ms. Grigg, you’re onto something when you describe the deeper concerns we have. Ma’am, I keep telling people you’ll see what you look at and you’ll find what you seek. All around us, every day are thousands of people quietly serving up food in soup kitchens, helping the homeless, dealing out food in food pantries, handing out clothes, shoes, blankets, and all kinds of other needed things to the needy.
Being around them confirms there is great beauty all around us in this world. Beautiful people are doing beautiful things, quietly, just below the surface but they are not hard to find.
When it gets you down, get around these people and your faith in humanity will be re-energized.